SHAMBHALA SUN jULy 2009 91
By andrea miller
BooKs in Brief
BaRGainin’ FoR saLVaTion
Bob dylan, a Zen Master?
By steven heine
Continuum, 2009; 256 pp., $19.95 (paper)
professor steven heine specializes in the life and thought of
zen master Dogen, but here heine offers us his labor of love,
Bargainin’ for Salvation. he opens by sharing his Dylan-based
satori moments—times when he was able to fully appreciate
the impact of Dylan’s music, such as when he first heard
“like a rolling stone.” following this preface, heine unpacks
Dylan’s music from a Buddhist perspective, and makes the
intriguing argument that Dylan’s work reveals an affinity with
zen. since much has been said about Christian and Judaic
influences on Dylan’s work, this is a refreshing spin.
The saYinGs oF LaYMan P’anG
a Zen Classic of China
translated by James green
Shambhala Publications, 2009; 131 pp., $14.95 (paper)
we’ve all heard zennies talk about chopping wood and
carrying water, but not everyone knows that the phrase can be
traced back to layman p’ang (740–808). he was a merchant
who one day put all his money and possessions in a boat,
then he sank it to devote himself to the dharma. he didn’t,
however, become a monk; rather, his family joined him on his
path. for more than twelve centuries, The Sayings of Layman
P’ang has been venerated in Asia, yet modern westerners may
appreciate the wise and quirky sayings even more. western
zen, after all, is largely “lay zen.”
The 12-sTeP BUddhisT
enhance Recovery from any addiction
By Darren littlejohn
atria Books, 2009; 292 pp., $16.00 (paper)
recovering from addiction is perhaps the ultimate in work-
ing with attachment, and the path of recovery requires a great
deal of compassion. that may be why Darren littlejohn is able
to so effectively synthesize the well-known Judeo-Christian
recovery program with Buddhism. No matter where you are
in recovery, this is a meaty book, with meditations, exercises,
and the illuminating story of littlejohn’s own struggles. Don’t
think you have an addiction? you still might want to pick up
The 12-Step Buddhist. we’re all addicted to something, little-
john says. some of us just manage to have less obvious vices.
WiLd ChiCKens and PeTTY TYRanTs
108 Metaphors for Mindfulness
By Arnie Kozak
Wisdom Publications, 2009; 224 pp., $14.95 (paper)
Arnie Kozak offers metaphors for mindfulness that he com-
piled during his twenty-five years as a mental health profes-
sional and practitioner of meditation and yoga. metaphors, he
suggests, are more than a colorful linguistic device. they’re an
inherent element in how we experience the world and, there-
fore, they can help bring mindfulness into our lives. meta-
phors are also, i think, a lot of fun. Kozak has insightful ex-
planations regarding traditional Buddhist metaphors, but he
also offers original, modern metaphors, such as, “the pause
Button” and “march of the penguins.” i’ll leave it to Kozak—
with his fresh and straightforward voice—to explain what the
metaphors refer to.
The sPiRiT oF BUddha
photographs by robin Kyte-Coles
teneues Publishing Company, 2009; 127 pp., $45.00 (cloth)
robin Kyte-Coles, with his gorgeous photographs of Buddhist
art, takes us on a journey across Asia. i love seeing how artists
in different countries have interpreted the same subject, and
how Kyte-Coles shot using as little flash as possible, resulting
in compelling images that glow with warmth. in the forward,
the Dalai lama writes, “the image of the Buddha represents
not only the historical Buddha, shakyamuni, but also the ul-
timate state of enlightenment we all can achieve.” that means
this book—beyond looking great on a coffee table—might
serve as a source of inspiration. ♦